Schmetterling Gose is a modern interpretation of an ancient top fermented saline sour ale native to Saxony. Local Option Bierwerker took the task of reviving this unique style that disappeared during the early part of the 20th century. True to its antecedent, Schmetterling Gose is brewed with equal parts malted wheat and barley; seasoned with black lava salt, coriander, and hops; and fermented with yeast and lactobacillus. Light bodied, highly carbonated, pale in color, with a subtle aroma of spice and citrus and a dry, crisp, refreshing finish, Schmetterling Gose is ideal in summer months but appreciable year round.

Local Option's Schmetterling Gose is a disappointing attempt at the style, not really light or refreshing as others are, while the tartness and salinity are overwhelmed by other, less desirable flavors. The aroma is particularly strange, a mix of stomach acid and lime margarita that goes as well together as you might think. This is a fairly average version of the style at best, perhaps enjoyed by those who have never had fresh versions of gose in Leipzig. At $6 per 10oz glass, certainly not a bargain, and not one I'd ever return to.

Arrives with a 1cm head of white foam, fading within one minute to a thin ring around the glass and a small island of foam atop the body of the beer. Lacing is minimal to nonexistent. Body is a hazy-looking golden orange color, with light bringing out hazy yellow hues. Beer is mostly opaque (80% opacity), and carbonation is not visible.

Aroma is acidic with tinges of coriander, lime zest, and salt. Not unappealing, but not exactly amazing, either. Much less appetizing than the on-tap goses in Leipzig, this one being like stomach acid and a lime margarita together in a slightly unappealing-the-more-you-inhale way.

Overall flavor is like an overly sweet lime margarita mixed with a somewhat cloying coriander bomb, even with the detectable tartness and wheat malt influences. Still, this is fairly good relative to the aroma. Front of palate picks up lime zest, coriander, notable salt, and a modest amount of wheat malt. Mid-palate of heavy wheat malt, salt, coriander, mild tartness, and lime zest: balance going towards coriander and lime zest with a mild tartness. Back of palate finds tart wheat malt with salt and lime zest, with fairly heavy coriander. Aftertaste is of lightly grainy wheat malt with traces of salt, faint tartness, and residual coriander.

Beer is medium light in body with low carbonation, resolving to a smooth, somewhat heavy, lightly foamy body that is generally too heavy for the style and the flavors the beer represents. Closes dry, as expected from the saltiness, with light stickiness on the palate. Disappointing: too heavy for the style, not refreshing, would not be something I'd look towards on a hot day. (2,267 characters)

A: Pours a cloudy light golden yellow in color with very light amounts of gentle visible carbonation along the edges of the glass and just a hint of straw yellow highlights. The beer has a quarter finger tall foamy white head that reduces to a very thin film covering the entire surface of the beer and a thing ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: The overall aroma to this beer is slightly briny/salty with some light notes of tart lemons and hints of wheat.

T: Upfront there is a light flavor of wheat with some light flavors of tart lemons. Overall there is a moderate amount of brininess/saltiness and the beer is light to moderately tart.

O: Another interesting Gose on this visit to NYC (that is three in four days). Refreshing and thirst quenching though this might be the one with the most body to it. Enjoyable and one I would definitely get again. (1,080 characters)

A: The beer is hazy dark yellow in color. It poured with a thin white head that died down, leaving a thin collar around the edge of the glass.S: Light aromas of sour and salty lemons are present in the nose.T: The beer is somewhat sour and has notes of salt, hints of lemon citrus and slight bits of coriander.M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and a bit creamy on the palate with a low to moderate amount of carbonation.O: The beer is easy to drink and seems rather complex for the style. (531 characters)

In the revival of old-world styles, the guys at Local Option pull the traditional German salt beer from the grave in a seldom seen introduction to present beer enthusiasts. Its a rare treat and unique return to centuries old techniques of early-day Germanic brewing.

And like many of those German wheat-forward ales, the beer pours a light yellow color and is distinguishable because of its quintessential yeasty and protein-laden haze. Medium-light in its head formulation and retention, its long-lasting, lacy rings of foam sing praises of a well made German ale.

Sharp lactic tartness reaches the nose first and delivers impressions of lemon, lime, and apple cider. But the follow of soured milk and unsettled stomach acid gives a pungent and putrid scent- unfortunately, these rise as the glass tilts and I'm going into that first taste.

Well, those aromas are fresh on the memory as the first sip is taken so there's a carryover that's unmistakable. Fortunately, that impression is short-lived as the beer quickly reveals a clean, crisp and dry cracker taste at middle palate. Only the fuller and more vivid taste of bread and dough are evident through its salt additions. A late turn to firm dryness, clean tartness and dry cider taste cleans the taste and allows for a snappy fresh closure and only an echo of bready wheat seconds after.

Light in body, the ale is effortless on the palate and the stomach as its refreshing properties are easily tasted and felt. Pleasant tartness hinges on sourness and cleanses the palate with ease. Its late sourness and astringency is much like grape skin, apple peels and lime zest- it allows for as much Gin-like tang as it does wine-like acidity.

I appreciate the return to dying styles- but isn't there a reason that these styles die? After all, the current beer market doesn't have much room for bile-beers or buttermilk-beers. This ale has a lot going for it, but its that soured milk character that's only moderately charged but casts an offensive shadow over the session. (2,027 characters)

Pours a cloudy yellow-orange color, like a good weissbier should. Two+ fingers of head. It looks great.

The aroma is spice-forward at first: the salt, yes, but also pepper. That lemony, wheat bread tang comes across quite nicely. It's tough for me to gauge how sour this will be based on the aroma, but that's OK.

Yes. This is the finest American example of the Gose style I've had. The balance here is tremendous. The quenching tartness meets that Gatorade-like salty note, but there's a whole lot of wheat flavor on the finish, with lingering spice notes that command you to take another sip. I'd drink this all day if I could.

If you're in Chicago then you have to drink at Local Option. You'd be a fool not to. And if they have the Gose on-tap, you need to order it. I know, all of the other rare taps are enticing. But make room for this Gose. Trust me. (925 characters)

T - The taste draws out the salt a bit, with the bread and wheat malt bill also moving to the forefront. The coriander and lemony lactic acidity are still here but they're fairly restrained. Good balance, with a lightly tart finish.

M - Medium-light in body and fairly refreshing. Soft, active carbonation, bready texture, and a fairly clean finish that has a touch of yeasty, chewy, bread to it. Acidity is present but doesn't linger.

D - This may be my new favorite gose, not that I've had a ton of them. Unlike other American takes on the style the Schmetterling has great balance of salt, acidity, and spice. I could have quite a few of these in an evening. (965 characters)

How could I pass up a Bierwerker-brewed gose during my visit to the Option? Seriously. It pours a cloudy straw topped by a finger of off-white foam. The nose comprises black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, light wheat, and tart lemon zest. The taste brings in more of the same, with a slightly earthier lemon character and a very light saltiness coming into play. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable gose, one that almost comes across as an earthy take on a mild Berliner weiss. Either way, good times. (628 characters)

Had a snifter at Brouwerij Lane in Greenpoint Brooklyn. Ah, so fresh, so refreshing. The aroma was a sharp mix of sour rose and berries with a big hit of fresh-baked bread. The toasty malt steps back a bit in the flavor and a mix of salty spices (with coriander) comes with with the pleasantly sour (gentler than a lambic) earthy fruit (almost like fruit skin) through the finish. I don't get a big salty taste or feeling, so I'd say it's well balanced. The body is on the lighter side, as I said, very refreshing. Check this beer out if you can. Easily the best gose I've had. (577 characters)